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J. STEPPAN.

TOY. No. 602,019. y Patented Apr. 5,1898.

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(No Model.) 2 sheetssuelen J. STEPPAN.

ToY.

No. 602,019. PatentedApr. 5, 1898.-

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

l TOSEF SFTEPPAN, OF PFORZHEIM, GERMANY.

TOY.

SPECIFICATION farming part of Letters retent No. 602,019, dated April 5, 1898'. Application tiled .Tuly 27, 1897. Serial No. 646,127. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEF STEPPAN, a subject of the Grand Duke of Baden, and a resident of Pforzheim, in the Grand Duchy of of which a horizontal disk having a downwardly-extending central pin may be caused to rotate upon said pin-or to spin, respectively. Said disk is intended Yto be used in any play topdetermine which partner shall commence the respective play. For thatpurpose the disk is provided with numbers, each number designating a partner of the company. When the plate has ceased spinning, it will assume an oblique position and the number located at the top of the disk will indicate the partner who shall commence the play. In-

stead of using onesuch disk there may be employed as many disks as there are partners in the company. These disks are colored; but the color of each disk is dierent from the colors of the other disks, so that the disks may easily be distinguished one from the other. Each disk designates a partner of the company, and he is to commence the play whose disk first assumes the oblique position or ceases spinning, respectively. My invention does not reside in using such disks for the purpose aforementioned; butit resides in the means for making the said disks spin, and in order to make my invention more clear I refer to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters denote similar parts throughout the different views and in which- Figure 1 is a plan of a disk provided with numbers. Fig. 2 is a side view of said disk. Fig. 3' is a plan of a disk provided with a colored annular stripe ct. Fig. 4. is a side view of this disk. Fig. 5 is a plan of one form of construction of my novel device. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the parts in another position. Fig. '7 is also a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing a slightly-modified form of construction. Fig. 8 shows said modified form of construction combined with a figure representing a hunter and a piece of the stem of a tree. These parts are movable and will be fully described hereinafter. Fig. 9 is `a section in line 12 13 of Fig. 7. Fig. 10

is a plan of a form of construction resembling a pistol, and Fig. 11 is a side view of this form of construction.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the device consists of a plate b of about triangular shape, which is made in one part with an ear-like arm b. A double-armed lever c c', the arm c of which is also formed into an ear,is connected at c2 with the plate b or with the double-armed lever formed by the parts b b', respectively. The whole resembles a pair of scissors and, in fact, the device is operated similar to such a one. e

The plate b has an upwardly-extending projection b2, the right-hand part of which is provided with a layerb3 of india-rubber, said layer being formed by a short piece of tubing. A

similar layer c3 of india-rubber is attached to an upwardly and laterally extending proj ection c4, forming about a rectangle with the arm c of the lever c'. The pin ct', Figs. 2 and 4, of the disk to be spun is introduced between the' projections or ledges h2 c4 or between the india-rubber layers b3 c3, respectively, in the manner shown in Fig. 5, and thereafter the ears b and c are moved toward each other, so that the india-rubber layer b3 passes to the left and theindia-rubber layer c3 to the right, when the pin ct will be caught up by and enter thespace between said two layers, Fig. 6. Owing to the latter moving in opposite directions the pin ct' is rotated, as is also the disk a2, Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the speed depending, of course, on the quickness with which the ears b c' are moved one in the direction to the other. in the same moment in which the india-rubber layers 5303 have passed each other the pin ct is free of the same and drops upon the table or other place about which the device has been operated in the manner just stated. The pin a and the disk a? then rotate and continue rotating until the power imparted to them has been consumed.

In the form of construction represented in Figs. 7 and 8 the device is combined with a figure representing a hunter who will take aim inthe same moment in which the device is in position for use. The two arms d d2 of the figure d are movable. Inother words, they are hinged at d3 to the body of the igure. The latter is made integrally with a IOO base-piece e, having hinged to it at e3 a piece e', representing a part of the stem of a tree. The latter has a short branch e2, and the arm cl2 of the figure has a ledge-like projection, (shown in dotted lines,) against which said branch e2 may act. In the position shown in Fig. 8 the parts just mentioned are all in their working position; but when in their position of rest the arms d d2 are lowered and the stem e is in a true vertical position. To connect the base-piece @with the device,the righthand part of the plate b is bent upward, so as to form a ledge Z2, Figs. 7, 8, and 9. Said ledge has a recess b5. A similar recess b is formed in a part 117, secured to the left-hand side of the plate b, and located near to the place of connection with the lever c c. The base-piece e of the figure (l is inserted into said recesses b5 b, and to insure a secure position of the base-piece the latter is provided with two pins e4, as shown in Fig. 8.

The part D7 aforementioned has a horizontal slit bs, Fig. 7, which extends somewhat into the adjacent part of the plate b. A pin e5, Figs. S and 9, xed to the stem e', passes through said slit bs, and is displaced to the left by the arm c of the lever c c' when this lever is turned from its position of rest, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, into its working position, Fig. 7. At the same time the stem e is turned upon its pivot e3, and the branch e2 of the stem presses against the arm (Z2 ot' the figure in such a manner that the hunter takes aim with his gun.

In order to bring about the illusion as if the hunter be firing in the moment in which the rotating disk a2 is set free, the ledge b4 of the plate l) is provided with a cavity b9, Figs. 7 and 9, adapted to receive some detonating composition, and the ledge c4 of the lever-arm c is furnished with some pointed projections c5, Fig. 9. The position of the cavity b9 with regard to the pointed project-ion c'is such that the latter may take into said cavity or may strike upon the detonating composition contained within the said cavity, so as thereby to cause the ignition of said composition or to` ing witnesses.

handle f shaped similar to the butt of a pistol. The front end of said handle or butt is forked and holds between the two legs thus formed a lever g g', the upper arm of which projects through a slot 1910, formed in the plate b. The arm c of the lever c takes over saidslot, and the arm g of the lever g g serves for operating the lever c c--z`. e., for moving the elastic or spring-like 'ledge c4 with its india-rubber layer c3 from the left to the right. The 0.ooperation of the india-rubber layer c3 just mentioned with the india-rubber layer b3 of the spring or elastic arm b2 is exactly the same as has been described with regard to the other forms of construction.

Having thus fully described the nature of this invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is*- 1. As a means for making top-like disks spin, the combination with a plate b, a ledge b2 upon said plate, and an elastic cover b3 upon said ledge, of a lever c attached to the plate b, a ledge c4 upon said lever, an elastic cover c3 upon this ledge, and means for holding the said plate and operating the lever, as set forth.

2. As a means for making top-like disks spin, the combination with a plate b, a ledge b2 upon said plate, and an elastic cover b3 upon said ledge, of a lever c c attached to the plate, a ledge c4 upon said lever, an elastic cover c3 upon this ledge, a handle f secured to the plate b, and a lever g g attached to said handle, and adapted to operate the lever c c', as set forth.

3. As a means for making top-like disks spin, the combination with a plate b, a ledge b2 upon said plate, and an elastic cover b3 upon said ledge, of a lever c c attached to the plate,

\ a ledge c4 upon said lever, an elastic cover c upon this ledge, a figure representing a hunter having movable arms and a gun held by said arms, and adapted to be iiXed to the plate b;

a lever reaching down from said arms into the way of the lever c c', and means for holding the said plate and operating the lever C c', as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscrib- JOSEF STEPPAN. Witnesses: EUGEN VALZ, SAMUEL LIMB. 

